We Canadians are a forgiving lot, we elect governments all the time that back track and flip flop on election promises…then we elect them again. Pierre Trudeau campaigned against wage and price controls, then brought them in. Brian Mulroney said he had no interest in pursuing a free trade agreement
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Canadian Soapbox: Canada’s housing bubble bursting ‘right now’ – CBC story
Robert Shiller of Yale University predicted the US housing crash in 2005, a year before it happened. He is quoted by the CBC as saying that he is worried that we’re now experiencing a slow motion version of the US crash. The same article cites Don Drummond, a former chief
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Predictions of a soft landing for housing a sure sign the jig is up
If you’ve lived through a couple of recessions or more then you know the value of so called expert advice. When the economy starts to slow, financial professionals and politicians all talk about strong fundamentals and how a recession isn’t in the cards. Later when cracks start to appear they
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Rising from the ashes – Don’t let life’s setbacks define you
This dusty little corner of cyberspace attracts its fair share of email. I get all manner of messages suggesting topics to write on, causes wanting some promotion and books looking for reviews. I read every message in my inbox, and though I usually ignore them, I have reviewed one book.
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Barack Obama – From party crasher to invited guest
I don’t often write on the American political scene. Oh, I touch on it from time to time, and I do keep a close eye on what’s happening south of the border. But being Canadian my principal focus is on events this side of the 49th parallel. I do however
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Who wants to make a movie depicting Judasim as a cancer?
I saw maybe half of Sasha Baron Cohen’s movie ‘ Borat’, I thought it was ignorant and stupid. When his latest movie, `The Dictator’ was released I watched the trailers and took a pass. Jokes and gags about racial, religious and cultural stereotypes aimed at marginalized segments of our society
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Memories of 9/11 the day three WTC buildings collapsed
Like everyone who was alive and of a certain age on September 11, 2001 I have vivid memories of that day. I was at my office in downtown Toronto when I first heard of a plane hitting the north WTC tower. I remember President George W. Bush saying that after
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Harper government fighting Québec’s law and order efforts
The federal long gun registry is back in the news. Québec has just won an injunction preventing the federal government from destroying the long gun registry, and has given Ottawa 30 days to comply by handing over the data collected on Québec gun owners. Those employed in law enforcement are
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Time to stop stressing about Québec
We Canadians love to worry, we worry about the economy, about the weather, about the direction our elected representatives are taking the country. When we’ve had Liberal governments in Ottawa, right wingers have worried about big government. When its Conservatives on parliament hill we worry about Canada becoming a playground
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Confrontation over language on the streets of Montréal – Video
I wasn’t sure whether or not to share this particular video. It shows a confrontation between a French Quebecer and his girlfriend with a group of Asian Canadians who had the temerity to be speaking English in public. My hesitancy was due to the fact that it portrays what is
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Is Canada’s left on the rise?
Discerning trends and making forecasts on limited data is not always the best recipe for making accurate forecasts, just look at pollsters. They take small snapshots of voter intentions based on some simple questions and then use the data to try and predict the results. As we’ve seen in
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: No winners in Quebec’s election, only losers
Its hard to discern any winners after yesterday’s election here in Québec. Sure Pauline Marois’ Parti Québecois will form the next government, but despite polling showing the PQ on the cusp of winning the 63 seats needed for a clear majority, they fell well short at 54 with only 32%
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Québec election asks more questions than it answers
So the results are in, we have a minority PQ government here in Québec, that is unless there are numerous recounts that result in a number of riding switching hands, which I somehow doubt. My best guess was that the PQ would win between 60 and 65 seats, and if
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Quebec’s good, bad and ugly or the corrupt the xenophobes and the bankrupt
So what’s it gonna be Québec? Will it be the xenophobic Parti Québecois, or perhaps the CAQ with all those candidates who’ve filed for personal or business bankruptcy? Might you still opt for the devil you know, the Liberals with all the allegations of corruption surrounding them? I will stick
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Québec’s election winners..Students
Everyone is chiming in with their predictions for tomorrow’s vote here in la belle…err province. At least its still a province for now. Overwhelmingly the expectation is that Pauline Marois and the PQ will form either a strong minority or a thin majority. I concur and predict somewhere between 60
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Could allegations of robocalls help Québec Liberals?
The Québec Liberal party is alleging that robocalls have been made in the Québec City area, as well as in Laval near Montreal. It is being reported that the calls are being made exclusively in English, targeting predominantly French speaking areas. Voters are being asked to call a phone number,
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Will Québec plunge Canada into more constitutional wrangling?
We’ll know the answer Tuesday night, will Quebecers choose the separatist PQ, take a flyer on the populist CAQ or will they instead opt for the devil they know in Jean Charest and the Liberals. Right now its looking like the PQ with a razor thin majority based on recent
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: That was one long walk in the snow Justin
If Warren Kinsella is right, and I have little reason to doubt him, then Justin Trudeau is going to run for the Liberal leadership. Given how long it took him to reach this decision I thought perhaps he was waiting for winter to arrive. That way he could follow in
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Choosing where to invest and with whom – Its about rapport
Yesterday I wrote about Garth Turner and his website Greater Fool. I told you about his current Canada wide tour where he’s hosting seminars and (no doubt) giving lots of advice about where people should be investing their money. Given the cost of the seminar, (free) I have little doubt
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Garth Turner’s advice – Worth what it costs?
Its been a while since I blogged on Canada’s housing bubble, which might seem odd given that there are finally obvious cracks showing in this nation’s real estate market. If those predicting a significant correction in house prices prove right, (guilty) its certainly been a long time coming. That’s the
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